Iran News Round Up February 8, 2012

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin. To receive this daily newsletter, please subscribe online.

(E) = Article in English

Diplomacy

Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, the head of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's Office, praises Khamenei’s intelligence: "I remember the day when Nelson Mandela, the South African leader came to visit him and called him 'my leader.'"

"We do not want war, but if a problem arises one day and His Holiness gives a signal, many people are ready to execute his orders... Israel has no easy sleep because of fearing Hezbollah."

Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah:

"Yes, Hezbollah of Lebanon has since 1982 received spiritual, political and financial support from the Islamic Republic of Iran... From the very beginning, Iran's support to the resistance has been a source of pride to the Islamic Republic of Iran because it is the Lebanese resistance which realized the greatest and most important Arab victory over Israel on May 25, 2000... Had there been no spiritual, political and financial Iranian support to the Lebanese resistance movement, this victory would not have been achieved. This victory was undoubtedly achieved with Iran’s support. Of course, Syria also played a great role in this regard, but now I am talking about Iran..."

"I thank the Iranian authorities who are paying a heavy price for supporting Palestine and Lebanon. The problem of the United States is not democracy; it is Israel and oil..."

"Every once in a while the media talk about the drug cartels in the United States, Europe and Africa claiming that those networks are administered by Hezbollah... We have always refuted this. I'll add now that drug trade is haram [religiously prohibited] from our viewpoint... Apart from this, because of the existence of an Islamic government in Iran, we are not in need of even a single fils..."

"Contrary to some claims, the Iranian side has never dictated us since 1982... Concerning future events in the region, there is this analysis that what would happen should Israel target Iran's nuclear installations. I tell you this: On that day, which I think is unlikely to happen, the Iranian leadership will not demand anything from Hezbollah... But I stress that on that day it is us who will sit, think and decide what to do..."

"Concerning the establishment of Hezbollah, some of the more devout Shiites in Amal had reached the conclusion to come to His Holiness the Imam [Khomeini] and explain their capabilities in the fight against the Zionist regime, since Amal was an ethnic movement for the ethnic Shiites... After the victory of the revolution, those Lebanese within Amal who had lost their heart [for Khomeini] including Sayyed Abbas Mousavi, Abou-Hashem, Sheikh Na'im Qassem and Mr. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was very young back then, came to His Holiness the Imam and expressed their beliefs... The Imam dealt with them very openly and when we saw the Imam giving them financial resources, we found out that they are special people... They would come with plans. In Iran the plans were considered between us and the [Revolutionary] Guards. Back then there was no Quds Force yet. But there were dear ones in the [Revolutionary] Guards Intelligence [Directorate] including Martyr Kazem Kazemi who was one of the first commanders of the Guards Intelligence [Directorate], and they would cooperate with us so that Hezbollah could be strengthened. It was not yet called Hezbollah, it was [composed of] the Lebanese within Amal who were more devout and stronger [in their] beliefs... At this point [following the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon] the first martyrdom operation took place..."

"I got to know His Lordship Sayyed [Hassan Nasrallah] when Sayyed Abbas Mousavi... was [Hezbollah] general secretary and Mr. Sayyed Hassan was executive director of Hezbollah... When Mr. Sayyed Abbas was martyred and the news of his martyrdom reached Iran, His Lordship [Ali Khamenei] ordered that a delegation should be sent [to Lebanon] to see what could be done. The delegation was headed by His Holiness Mr. Jannati and I was at his service as well. We were all thinking what should be done after Sayyed Abbas. During the flight we reached the conclusion that the best substitute for him would be Mr. Sayyed Hassan [Nasrallah]... Concerning almost all issues Mr. Jannati was the representative of the Leader [Ali Khamenei]... The [Hezbollah] Council meeting was held in Sheikh Sobhi's home... the Council unanimously elected Mr. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah." Link upon request.

[E] Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Mikhail Dmitriev in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Seyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi stressed that his country will continue its military and technical cooperation with Iran.

[E] Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi warned that enemies have hatched plots to stir tension during the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country, and called for the Iranian people's vigilance against such schemes.